Machine Nation Charter and Rules

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GuestGuest

Subject: Machine Nation Charter and Rules Sat May 17, 2008 8:48 pm

Message to New Members

You are welcome and will abide by the Charter lest ye be flung into the outer darkness. The Charter being in essence 'Love your neighbour's Machinery as you do your own and have patience if you feel the person with whom you are communicating still has a lower grade mobile phone than you.'

Enjoy your stay here - there is plenty to be done so if you feel like rolling up your sleeves then you are welcome but if you want to relax then there are all sorts of places here to do your R&R in.

Welcome to Machine Nation from the Editorial Team

Machine Nation is a community of members with curiosity about the processes going on in politics, in technology, in ecological systems and in human social systems. The Machine Nation forum is open for discussion, debate and sharing information.

Knowledge can be very powerful and effective in confronting the world and that's where fora and the ‘real’ world can dovetail. Members have and express differing opinions. MN posters share and develop knowledge through argument or dialogue in a collective spirit of problem-solving. Fun and play can lead to learning and understanding too and are part of life in Machine Nation.

Posters are encouraged to behave with manners and to treat their fellow posters and others as they would like to be treated themselves. Please only post as fact what is true and back it up with your sources through links and quotes. Remember everyone has a right to their good reputation unless proven to the contrary.

Machine Nation is a Nation of sorts, and we are all citizens, which means we all have a duty to make it a place worth living. Members are all asked take part in developing, improving and maintaining the Site and from time to time there will be review sessions of the Charter, Site and Moderation Policy to which members will be invited to participate in order to keep the site policies relevant. Members need to remember that they are responsible for what they write on the site, whether under their own name or an assumed one. Members are required to respect the rights of others.

Site Moderation

A1 • All members are asked to stick to site policy, to moderate themselves and to advise the Moderators by private message if they are concerned about any post.A2 • In instances of challenges to and compromise of site policy, members should contact a member of the Editorial team by private message. In the event of Editorial team members not being present, pm a mod.A3 • Moderators (Mods) aim to be as consistent, fair and unrestrictive as they can.A4 • Moderation aims to allow difference to co-exist and ideas be thrashed out without anyone being made to feel small: Mods do not take sides in a debate.A5 • Mods may advise on tidy links, lists, video embeds and so on if requested by private message.A6 • Disruptive behavior or provocation for provocation’s sake is discouraged and if continued may lead to banning. A7 • Mods should not moderate a dispute in which they are taking part.A8 • Mods may take any action which they deem appropriate (at their absolute discretion) to preserve the ethos of the site or to avoid any possible legal action. In the event of dispute, the decision of the Editorial Team is final.

Rules and legal

B1 • Members agree to take full responsibility for their own comments and to hold Machine Nation and all other individuals connected with Machine Nation harmless against any loss, liability, costs or expenses arising from any such comments. Members post all comments at their sole risk to the fullest extent possible at law.B2 • Good manners, helpfulness and consideration between posters is encouragedB3 • Differences in opinion are not to be used as a reason to insult or belittle other members.B4 • Bullying or threatening other posters is not allowed. B5 • Stating or repeating anything without proof which may injure someone’s reputation is not allowed.B6 • Incitement to hatred or discrimination based on factors such as gender, politics, race, religion, sexual orientation etc. is not allowed. B7 • Members may not post images or text that is exploitative, crude or 'x-rated' in nature.B8 • If you post text, photos, or other media, you must make sure it isn’t protected by copyright. For written posts, a short quote, stating where it is from, and a link to the source is best. B9 • Please do not give legal, business or other professional advice as this may possibly expose you and the site to legal action.B10 • Please don’t publish tips on specific shares unless based on published information. B11 • Do not place any ‘inside’ or unpublished information on legal cases on the site.B12 • Members must not place spam advertisements on the site. If in doubt ask a Mod.B13 • Threatening anybody with legal action, directly or indirectly, is a banning offenceB14 • Members may only have one account/identity. B15 • Publishing (or threatening to publish) members’ identities or personal information without their permission is a banning offenceB16 • Impersonating another real individual or using another poster's identity is a banning offence.

Good Posting

C1 • Before posting a new thread - check carefully if there is already a thread on the subject.C2 • When you start a new thread, give it a brief heading that says what it is about.C3 • Back up your argument with facts: add links to back-up data.C4 • If posting on someone else's thread, read back over the posts and stick to the original point. C5 • Use the clearest wording you can.C6 • Avoid name calling, belittlement and bullying as it undermines debate and is hurtful. C7 • Members are encouraged to avoid expressions of anger, intolerance and impatience when addressing one another as primarily we are here to assess and analyse information, not one another. C8 • In the case of severe personal intolerance of a member who is otherwise broadly accepted you may use the 'friend or foe' function found in your profile to avoid contact with that member.C9 • If in doubt, count to at least 30 and think again before you post.C10 • if you have a problem with a poster, pm a mod.C11 • Please do not quote previous posts unnecessarily in the interests of readability.C12 • Please don’t use animated avatars as they are a visual distraction in threads.

Language Policy

Machine Nation aspires to be a bilingual English-Irish site but many members don't have much Irish. Machine Nation encourages learning and practice of different languages. Our language policy is experimental and will be adjusted if the need arises.

Whichever language a thread is opened in will be the assumed default language of the thread which will be returned to for the sake of consistency, but posters can use expressions, quotes or engage in exchanges in Irish, English, German, Spanish or French for ease of expression or for illustrative purposes to add colour, interest or humour to the thread.

Members should help with translations of posts when requested. Languages other than English and Irish may not be used to discuss named persons or bodies. Members should alert Mods to any non-English post that may present a legal problem without delay.

Enjoy posting !

Last edited by cactus flower on Tue May 20, 2008 9:08 pm; edited 3 times in total